Improvement in sleeping-cars



'Z Sheets-Sheetz. S. S'. B. ALEXANDER) l SLEEPING-CARS. 10,194,395 Patented Aug. 21,1877.

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INVENTOR ATTORNEYS WITNESSES PETERSY PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

"UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE..

sAMUEL s. B. ALEXANDER, 0E MOBILE, ALABAMA. g

lMPRovEMl-:NT-m SLEEPING-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1911.395, dated August 21, 1877; application tiled August 13, 1877.

ing Gars 5 and do hereby'declare that the t'ollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a partl of this specitication.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a sleepingcar, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, in which- Figure l isa side elevation of one section of my sleepingcar, showing. both seats closed. Fig. 2 is a similar View, showing one seat opened. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the sleeping-car section. Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are detailed views of parts of the invention.

A represents the door, and B the side, of the car. (l C are the standards at the outer ends of the two seats that form the sections.

Each seat proper is made in two parts, a bottom box, D, and a lid or cover, D', the latter being simply a frame hinged to the box, and having anet-work of interwoven or interlaced iat springs, a a, as shown in Fig. 7, said springs being bent to give the seat the proper shape, and suitable upholstering covering the same. The seat D D' is used as a receptacle for pillows, sheets, Sto. At each end of the box part D ofthe seat are two projecting pins or lugs, b b, for supporting the seat. 0n the inner side of the end piece C, and corresponding therewith on-the side oi' the car, are secured plates E E, which form grooves and recesses, as shown in Fig. 6. Near the bottom is ahorizontal groove, d, to receive the pins b b of the seat when the berths are opened. From the center of this groove leads a vertical T-shaped groove, d1, with a recess, d2, in the end of each of its arms.

, As stated, when the berths are opened the seat D D is supported in the grooves d by the pins b. When theberths are closed .the seat is moved so that, by lifting the same, one pin, b, at each end, will pass up through the grooves d1, and when they reach the top thereof the seat is moved backtill the same pins rest in the rear recesses d2. The front pins at the same time enter recesses d3 in the plate, thus supporting the seat for usein the daytime.

Thereis a recess, d3, at each end of the plate E, so as to change the position of the seat accordin g to the position of the back-that is to say, according to the direction the car is moving. Y

The back of` each seat is made in sections, and forms, when opened, one-halfof both the upper and lower berths. It isconstructed in the following. manner: G isa box-like frame,

to the lower end of which is hinged a frame,

G1. This latter frame is upholstered on its outer side, and closes against the box-frame G. Near the upper end ofthe frame G is, by elongated strap-hinges e e, hinged a third trame, G2, which is of such dimensions as to close inside of the main frame G. The i two frames G1 and G2 contain mattresses H H, as shown. The hinges e e have one rod,.f, passing through them, and on this rod is hinged a cap, G3, and inside of this cap is hinged a board, G4. The frame G2, with its mattress, folds within the main frame G. The board G4 and cap G3 are then turned down, and fastened by a spring-catch, h, on each side. The frame G1 is finally closed, and fastens with the same catches, h h. This completes the back of the seat.

On each side of the upholstered frame G1 are two projecting pins, t' t', set at different distances from the edge. These are intended to rest in grooves d4 d4 of the plates E.

When the back is closed, as above described, either end may be upward, and the back can be reversed by simply throwing it over forward, and it is held in position by being supported on the lower pins t', and by a swiveled pin,` lc, entering a hole, w, in the side of the main frame G. This pin is swiveled in the rear end of the arm-rest C', which is pivoted on top of the side piece O, so that itcan be turned around according to the position of the back. This arm-rest is held in either position by means of a spring-latch, m, underneath. rIhe spring k may also be provided with a spring-catch, if desired.

When the back is thrown to the side, where it-will be when the berths are to be opened, the inner end of the hinge-rod f enters an opening near the bottom of a longitudinallyslotted plate, I, secured to the side of the car.

When the berths are to be opened the seat D D is lowered, as above stated, the frame Gl alone of the back-being first released from the catches h h and the pin k of the seat-rest removed from its hole-is lowered until it is supported in a horizontal position on the pins i z in both the grooves d4. The act of turning down the frame G1 raises the remainder of the back, the rod j' passing upward in the slotted plate I, forming a support at the inner side, lwhile the outer side is supported by inserting the swiveled pin 7c in another hole, in the Vframe G.

The adjoining ends of the frames G1 of the two seat-backs are then held downby spring arms J J, which are hinged in a metal casing inserted in the side of the car, and turned outward over the edges of the frames. When the berths are folded these arms J are turned inward out ofthe Way.

The cap G3 and board G4 are now raised, completing the partition for the section. The frame G2 is turned upward to a. horizontal position, where it will be held by a catch, n, and supported by a hinged spring bracket, K. This catch and bracket are both arranged in the side of the car. are connected by a bolt, L, arranged in one frame and taking into the other, as shown in Fig. 4.

This construction of the various parts is compact, and can be easily and quickly operated.

Having thus fully described my invention,

At the outer side theyk .what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a sleeping-car, avreversible seat-back made in two sections, hinged together, forming, when unfolded, one end and one-half of the lower berth, and provided with a hinged frame to form one-half of the upper berth, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In a sleeping-car, a removable and vertically-adjustable cushioned seat, having a box underneath, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. The plates E,formingthe,grooves d d1 and recesses d2 d3, in combination with a car-seat having projecting pins b bin its ends, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

4. The sectional reversible car-seat back, consisting of the frames G G1 G2, cap G3, and partition G4, all constructed substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

5. The combination of the reversible sectional seat-back, having projecting pinsi t', and the grooves d4 in plates E, for the purposes herein set forth.

6. The pivoted reversible arm-rest C', provided with the swiveled pin lo and spring-latch m, substantially as and for the purposes here in set forth.

7. The pivoted spring-arms J J, in combination with the frames G1, for the purposes set forth.

8. The catch n and bracket K, in combination with the frame G2, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of August, 1877.

SAMUEL S. B. ALEXANDER.

Witnesses:

FRANK GALT, J. M. MAsoN. 

